FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0194.PDF
166 FLIGHT FEBRUARY 12TH, 1943 ing ground. Without these there can be no sturdy home industry and no worth-while exports. From the Straight and Masefield reports we have a clear picture of the requirements of civil aviation and the probable cost of implementing their recommenda- tions, a sum in sterling, not dollars, which is small by comparison with the benefits likely to be obtained. There is and still remains a good overseas market for British light aircraft, providing that we can offer the right types and reasonable service to back them up. At present we still have an industry second to none and willing and capable of providing light aircraft. How- ever, under present conditions, or more particularly as a result of the Government's attitude, there is hardly a company which feels justified in trying to produce a new light aircraft. Some encouragement must, therefore, be forthcoming for light aircraft operators and producers, and the abolition of the petrol tax would be a good start. High, Fast and StationaryA FTER the many aspects of British aviation which have called for criticism and dissatisfaction, it is pleasant to be able to record this week three events which, totally different though they are, serve to remind the world that this old country can still produce worth- while feats of airmanship. First we had Cunningham taking a Vampire jet-pro- pelled fighter to 56,000ft. He failed by a few feet to beat the record of 56,061ft established lay an Italian in 1938, but would have beaten it if his machine had been powered by the fully rated Ghost engine. He wore no pressure suit, and a split canopy might have had serious consequences. He proved that the Vampire handles well even at such great heights. Waterton beat Cunningham's Lympne-meeting speed CONTENT Outlook • Fairey Trainer in the Air - A 1943 Project - Aiming High .... Civil Aviation News - International Airlines System Congo Capers - - - - Flight Testing of Helicopters Marconi Lightweights - Here and There - Survival in the Air Age .Correspondence - Service Aviation.... Forthcoming Events, pagt s :- '" 165 167 169 170 171 175 179 183 186 . - - 187 188 190 191 ISO over the 100-km. closed circuit by taking a Meteor around the three laps at an average of 515.8 m.p.h. This he did in very bumpy conditions which, with tfit4§. many turns, must have made even him g-conscious. Just how much he lost on the turns.is shown by the fact that later he took the Meteor around a single 100- km. course at 542.9 m.p.h. There is little doubt that both records could be raised considerably in better weather conditions, but even as they stand, they are very creditable performances. The third event was of a strictly utilitarian nature. Bristow took badly needed supplies to the keepers of the Wolf lighthouse in a Westland-Sikorsky S.51 helicopter, lowering the'sacks to the lighthouse gallery in a 40 m.p.h. wind. Demonstrations have been given before of the helicopter's ability to do this kind of thing, but here was a case of real need. In America the coastguard service has long made good use of the helicopter. This was the first time in this country, but will certainly not be the last, when the helicopter has come to the aid of those in need. - . NOT SEEKING BLOOD : A de Havilland Vampire—one of four delivered to the Swiss Air Force for service trials, prior to the placing of the large production order recorded on poge 170—whistles along the Alpine peaks. As a fighter and ground-attack aircraft the Vampire will form the basis of Switzerland's, defensive air force for years to come.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
